How-to Plan the Perfect Honeymoon in Jamaica

As a soon-to-be-married man, with our big wedding day slowly approaching, planning for our honeymoon in Jamaica was something that had to essentially be done simultaneously to our planning our wedding. As if the wedding, in itself, didn't present quite a few demands already, my partner and I quickly realized that there were definitely a few steps that soon-to-be-married couples (and honeymooners), like ourselves, could take in order to ensure the best honeymoon experience possible. With thoughts of Jamaican beach sun beaming down onto our unsuspecting faces, while taking in the joys of our all inclusive hotel package, although we have yet to actually indulge in our much-awaited honeymoon, we can safely say that we have done everything we can to possibly plan for it.

We would now like to share these tips with you in this Info Barrel article.

Things You Will Need

Pen and Paper

Visa and Passport

Step 1

For a soon-to-be-married couple, with a clear and evident thoughtfully meticulous approach to just about everything we do, of course, planning our honeymoon wasn't a decision that was to be taken lightly. In fact, as extreme, Type-A personality, OCD'ers, we had wanted to make sure that everything we did was right. For some, money might not be quite an issue, but, as two new nurses attempting to solidify ourselves in our careers, we didn't want to necessarily go "cheap", but we also didn't have quite the means to incredibly "expensive". Some couples may have this luxury, however, we were definitely a bit price sensitive, with greater concerns like buying a house and new cars looming just beyond our much awaited vacation.

Rather than jump into any decisions haphazardly, I would highly suggest that you sit down with your wife or husband-to-be, and make a list a few crucial things that will guide your planning process. Before you begin speaking to travel agents, it is important that you do what you both can to evaluate not only what you both want our of your perfect, ideal, honeymoon, but also with regards to some sort of budget. More oftentimes than not, a higher priced package, at least on paper, really might not be all that different from a slightly less expensive package. For those couples that are a bit price sensitive, it is important to determine where you really want to go, why exactly you want to go there, as well as, what kind of activities you would like to do while you are there.

Laying everything out, on a piece of paper, prior to proceeding, can really go a long way towards helping to ensure that you are on the same page with your spouse and that you will both have the perfect honeymoon of your dream. Whether you go to St. Lucia, the Bahamas, or Jamaica, by communicating with one another, early on, you can ensure that what ever decisions you make along the way are hopefully covered while in this initial stage. Money should never really be an issue that comes up, out of the blue while speaking to a travel agent.

Step 2

While you talk to each other about your dream honeymoon, be sure to make a list of all the things you would like to do, and that you both would prefer not to do. Many resorts, like Sandals, include extra activites, fun, and festivities, that will incur you an extra cost above and beyond what you already paid. More oftentimes than not, their respective resort websites will present you an opportunity to pay for particular activities that you'd like to do the most. Of course, it's not necessarily wise to book these activities BEFORE you book your honeymoon, however, it doesn't hurt to surf the internet and view what each respective resort is offering. From couples massages to swimming with dolphins, these extra activities can really make your honeymoon much more fun, but you do need to plan accordingly, and not do more than you have budgeted. For downtime from your thought-out activities, packing a good book or two could be a great thing to do while you, and your spouse, are soaking up the sun while lying out on the beach.

Step 3

There is a great chance that you, and your spouse-to-be, already know where you would like to go on your honeymoon. Whether a friend gave you the suggestion, or a family member related their amazing experience, you may already have pre-conceived notions about certain locales. Surprisingly, my soon-to-be wife and I had actually been set on going to St. Lucia up until our last meeting with our travel agent. While you may have a set destination in mind, with all things considered, and any new information about pricing, I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing to change your mind completely about your honeymoon locale, just so long as you are both on the same page. Fortunately, many Caribbean islands, at least, are very similar in atmosphere and, tourists are generally treated in a very esteemed manner since tourism is essentially the lifeblood of these poor countries' economies. For us, we had one friend tell us that St. Lucia was great, while another family member told us that Jamaica was their dream honeymoon, however, as we had noticed, the price tags were really quite different. For price sensitive honeymooners, Jamaica met our needs in the best way, but you and your partner will have to figure out what works best for you.

Step 4

With quite a bit on our plate already, with our impending wedding, couples should really consider scheduling their honeymoon as early as possible. Not only do you want to do that, but, perhaps at least 2 weeks out, you should really begin to pack and consolidate everything you'll need for your honeymoon. With your wedding fast approaching, chances are likely that you'll just want to rest one the big day has arrived and occurs. Having your honeymoon scheduled in advanced, with your suitcases all packed, will give you great peace of mind and will definitely lessen your stress levels, especially when family members are all vying for your attention.

Your honeymoon can definitely be one of the highlights of your life, however, with something so exciting looming on the horizon, it important to really sit down and communicate with your spouse-to-be with regards to exactly what you both want. In many ways, planning for your honeymoon is similar to your keeping and maintaining a genuine relationship, to begin. You definitely want to be open and honest with regards to your likes and dislikes. Vacation package extras can be great, but they can also incur great additional expense, so it is important to not overdue it. In exchange for a wedding present, you may be able to ask a family member, or friend, if they would be willing to purchase a honeymoon 'extra' for your spouse and yourself. Depending on the 'extra', these activities could range from as low as $100 to as high as $500-$1,000.

Tips & Warnings

You should really try your hardest to get an all-inclusive package, at the resort of your choosing, so that you don't really have to worry about carrying around your wallet (or purse) and tipping.